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A bill that would lift a nearly three-decade ban on yoga in public schools is a step closer to Gov. Kay Ivey s desk.
The Alabama Senate voted 23-7 late Thursday for a bill from Rep. Jeremy Gray, D-Opelika, would allow public schools to offer yoga as an elective course. The bill was amended to put a ban on hypnotic states and meditation in courses, and to require notification of parents about their children enrolling in yoga courses that yoga is associated with Hinduism.
In the Montgomery County delegation, Sen. Kirk Hatcher, D-Montgomery, voted for the bill. Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road, voted against it.
Language calling homosexuality illegal and unacceptable will be struck from the state s laws on sex education under a measure signed by Gov. Kay Ivey this week.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Laura Hall, D-Huntsville, removes a paragraph dating from 1992 that requires courses on human reproduction and sexual education to emphasize that homosexuality is not a lifestyle acceptable to the general public and that homosexual conduct is a criminal offense under the laws of the state.
The bill passed the Alabama House 69 to 30 on March 2. It passed the Senate 18 to 6 on April 20. It will go into effect July 1.
In the Montgomery delegation, Reps. Reed Ingram, R-Pike Road; Kelvin Lawrence, D-Hayneville; Thad McClammy, D-Montgomery; Charlotte Meadows, R-Montgomery; Tashina Morris, D-Montgomery and Chris Sells, R-Greenville voted for the bill. In the Senate, Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road voted against the bill. Sen. Kirk Hatcher, D-Montgomery, voted for it.
Alabama Senate rejects proposal for lottery, casinos; bill falls 2 votes short
Updated Mar 10, 2021;
Posted Mar 09, 2021
Sen. Del Marsh, lectern on the right, discusses an amendment to his lottery and casino bill by Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, lectern on the left.
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The Alabama Senate has rejected a bill to allow a lottery and casinos in Alabama.
The bill, by Sen. Del Marsh, R-Anniston, is a proposed constitutional amendment that required 21 votes to pass the 35-member Senate. It fell two votes short on a 19-13 vote in favor.
Marsh had been in talks with legislators and Gov. Kay Ivey to revise the bill.
Sen. Del Marsh disappointed at defeat of bill, says Alabama deserves vote on lottery, casinos
Updated Mar 09, 2021;
Posted Mar 09, 2021
Sen. Del Marsh, lectern on the right, discusses an amendment to his lottery and casino bill by Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, lectern on the left.
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Sen. Del Marsh said today he was disappointed the Senate didn’t allow what he thinks most people in Alabama want, a chance to vote on whether to allow a lottery and casinos in the state.
“Honestly, I’m disappointed,” Marsh said after his bill fell two votes shy of the 21 needed in the 35-member Senate. “Because I think it was the first attempt for the first time in a long time to have meaningful reform in gaming. A very comprehensive bill that I thought treated the state very fairly and was going to do some good things for the state. But it is what it is.”